gilipollas
/xiliˈpoʝas/
The Spanish word for peckerhead is gilipollas.
The term is used to insult someone by calling them stupid or foolish. Depending on the context and intensity, it can also be translated as asshole or jerk.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, gilipollas and the informal Tarado are common. In Mexico, you can use pendejo or the more intense pinche pendejo to mean idiot or stupid. In Argentina, the colloquial term pelotudo is used to refer to someone as a stupid or a dummy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word gilipollas is invariable in gender, meaning it can be used to refer to either a man or a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
/xiliˈpoʝas/
Did you know?
- In the etymology of gilipollas, the second half of the word comes from polla, which refers to a small female chicken. This creates a strange linguistic link between calling someone a fool and referring to a young bird.
- While gilipollas is a harsh insult, friends in Spain sometimes use it with each other as a form of ironic affection, similar to how 'idiot' can be used playfully in English.
- Although the word is an insult, the first part, gilí, is an old slang term for 'stupid' that originated in the 19th century. It is rarely used on its own today, making its appearance in the compound word quite unique.
Examples in context
- Está actuando como un completo tarado.He's acting like a complete peckerhead.
- Ese tipo es un gilipollas.That guy is a peckerhead.
- ¡Qué gilipollas es!What a peckerhead he is!
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are arguing about a mistake Daniel made.
- Lucía¡Has perdido las llaves otra vez, Daniel!You've lost the keys again, Daniel!
- DanielFue un accidente, no te enfades.It was an accident, don't get angry.
- LucíaEres un gilipollas, siempre haces lo mismo.You're a peckerhead, you always do the same thing.
- DanielVale, lo siento, iré a buscarlas.Okay, I'm sorry, I'll go look for them.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry gilipollas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gilipollas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
